MLV NorCal – Major League Volleyball
Head Athletic Trainer
Northern California (On-site/ Travel for Events in NorCal & Out-of-State)
Seasonal Position to live in the Bay Area, CA: October 1 - May 31 (8 months) | 1099 Independent Contractor
About the Organization:
MLV NorCal is part of Major League Volleyball (MLV), a unified professional women’s volleyball league
launching in 2027 in the Bay Area and Sacramento. As a women-founded and women-led organization,
MLV NorCal is committed to building a premier team that excels on the court, leads in the community, and
creates a lasting impact for athletes and fans.
The vision is to build the premier women’s volleyball professional team in North America where we win on
the court, lead in the community, and set the standard for the league. MLV NorCal will create a lasting
institution for athletes, fans and the next generation.
Position Overview:
The Head Athletic Trainer serves as the organization's primary on-site medical professional and
coordinator of day-to-day sports medicine operations. This role is responsible for the prevention,
evaluation, immediate care, treatment, rehabilitation, documentation, emergency response, and
coordination of medical care for players and other covered team personnel. The Head Athletic Trainer
works collaboratively with the Team Physician, Primary Care Physician, coaches, team administrators,
strength and conditioning staff, mental health providers, consultants, and the MLV Director of Player
Health and Wellness to support athlete health, safety, and performance.
Primary Responsibilities -
Clinical Care and Player Management
- Provide comprehensive athletic training services, including injury and illness prevention, clinical evaluation and diagnosis within scope, immediate and emergency care, therapeutic intervention, rehabilitation, and health care administration, in collaboration with the Team Physician and strength and conditioning staff, consistent with BOC standards, state practice acts, accepted standards of care, and MLV policies.
Coordinate physician appointments, imaging, specialty consultation, surgery, physical therapy, medication-related communication, second opinions, and other approved care.
Monitor health status, functional limitations, workload tolerance, treatment response, and progression toward full participation.
Display familiarity with sports science technology and provide basic functions and assessment of applicable devices.
Provide or coordinate appropriate care for work-related and non-work-related conditions consistent with team responsibility, insurance coverage, and applicable law.
Support mental-health referral and emergency pathways without acting outside professional training or disclosing protected information unnecessarily.
Coverage Responsibilities
- Provide on-site medical coverage for every team game, scrimmage, practice, and team travel period.
Be available for every team-organized strength and conditioning session and provide on-site coverage when medically necessary or required by team policy.
Provide appropriate pre-event and post-event athletic training room coverage based on player needs, schedule, staffing, and facility access.
Coordinate medical services for preseason and entry medical assessments, exit medical assessments, community appearances, and team-sponsored activities.
When assigned, support MLV All-Star, championship, combine, tryout, or other league events and coordinate host-team resources, physician access, EMS, equipment, and visiting-team care.
Emergency Preparedness
- Develop, maintain, distribute, rehearse, and document venue-specific Emergency Action Plans and Mental Health Emergency Action Plans, including access to AEDs, emergency equipment, emergency communication, EMS, receiving hospitals, and venue personnel.
Conduct a pre-event medical timeout and coordinate responsibilities with physicians, EMS, security, officials, coaches, and visiting medical staff.
Lead or support emergency response within training and scope, complete required incident documentation, and participate in post-event review.
Communication and Collaboration
- Communicate daily with coaches and designated team administrators regarding participation status, restrictions, anticipated progression, and operational needs, while limiting disclosure to authorized information.
Maintain regular communication with physicians and all members of the interdisciplinary medical and performance team.
Provide the visiting team with reasonable access to medical facilities, emergency information, supplies, and referrals.
Communicate required medical matters to the MLV Director of Player Health and Wellness and Vice President of Player Personnel according to league policy.
Help establish clear roles, escalation pathways, and shared decision-making processes among medical, performance, coaching, and administrative personnel.
Assist in creating a regional team of medical providers and contractors capable of providing high-level care across multiple specialties.
Documentation and Administration
- Maintain complete, accurate, timely, and confidential records in the league-designated EMR, including injuries, illnesses, daily treatments, evaluations, consultations, medications, restrictions, rehabilitation progress, and referrals.
Coordinate entry and exit medical assessment documentation, off-season plans of care, medical-record transfers, and continuity of care after release, trade, free-agent signing, or season conclusion.
Assist with workers’ compensation reporting, claim communication, authorization, billing coordination, and documentation in collaboration with team administration and designated insurance professionals.
Maintain medical inventories, treatment areas, travel kits, medication storage processes, infection-control procedures, and equipment inspection logs.
Participate in quality improvement, policy review, continuing education, and annual performance evaluation.
Who You Are:
Required Skills / Knowledge:
- Excellent clinical reasoning, organization, documentation, and interpersonal communication.
Ability to remain calm, decisive, and collaborative during emergencies and high-pressure competitive situations.
Ability to establish professional trust with players while preserving appropriate boundaries and confidentiality.
Proficiency with electronic records, secure communication, and basic data reporting.
Ability to coordinate effectively with physicians, coaches, team administrators, medical providers, and league personnel.
Education and Experience:
- BOC certification as an Athletic Trainer in good standing.
Current state licensure, certification, or registration as required by the employment jurisdiction.
Current CPR/AED certification for the professional rescuer or health care provider.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an accredited athletic training program and eligibility under all current professional educational requirements.
Minimum three years of athletic training experience, including meaningful independent responsibility in collegiate, professional, national-team, or comparable elite sport.
Master’s degree in athletic training, sports medicine, exercise science, health administration, or a related field preferred.
Professional volleyball or professional women’s sport experience preferred.
Experience with workers’ compensation, EMR administration, emergency planning, travel medicine, injury surveillance, and post-surgical rehabilitation preferred.
Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.
- Ability to stand, walk, kneel, squat, reach, and work courtside for extended periods
Ability to lift and move medical equipment and assist with emergency movement of an injured person, with help and equipment when appropriate.
Ability to work in weight rooms, courts, outdoor areas, hotels, and temporary training locations.- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, with advance notice.
- Ability to travel within Northern California and to in-state and out-of-state locations for competitions, conferences, training sessions, and other team-related events as needed.
- Potential exposure to athletic facilities, locker rooms, bodily fluids, cleaning agents, and emotionally demanding medical situations.
Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
This description is intended to provide only basic guidelines for meeting job requirements. Responsibilities, physical requirements and working conditions may change as needed.
What You’ll Gain & Why This Role is for You:
- The opportunity to help build the medical and performance foundation of a professional sports franchise from day one.
- A role with direct impact on athlete health, readiness, performance, and the overall team experience.
- The chance to collaborate with coaches, medical professionals, league personnel, and elite athletes in a growing organization.
What We Offer:
- Competitive compensation
- An inclusive culture which values diversity of background and a passion to build a leading front office team
- Potential for flexible scheduling and remote opportunities
This position is not eligible for U.S. work authorization sponsorship.
